Ok so it was the first Sunday of the summer and it was a lovely day but it was stupid busy and there were some right dipsticks on bikes.
No one seemed to think of staying left, a few had bells and used them which was fine, plenty were mute. Some, a minority said thank you when we stayed in to the side and there was a large party of cyclists who thought it their god given right to ride four abrest throuh the tunnel. Laughed out loud when one dropped his specs and stopped so quickly the others ran into him. Not a hope hub or helmet in sight so doubt it’d be anyone on here!
There were some serious stw possibles and they were suitably curteous but the whole thing put me off doing it again unless its mid week or peeing down with rain.
Well done to who ever sorted getting it opened up again though cracking job.

I did it about a month ago as part of a 72mile loop.

It was a wednesday afternoon and it was just as bad as you describe!

Gonna be a few accidents!

We did it on a hired tandem on a weekday a few weeks ago, it was awesome! It was nice and quiet then, the few people we did meet were very friendly. The cafe where it meets the High Peak Trail (or was it the Tissington Trail? Can’t remember…) did excellent caramel shortbread… we had some on the way out and some more on the way back shortly after… 🙂

is it the norm to keep to the left ? i’m new to cycling , just had a ride along the local canal tow path, two guys approached on mountain bikes so i pulled in to let them past , they neither slowed down or acknowledged me at all.

There was a report in the local paper about the monsal trail opening, it said its been seriously busy since its opened and there’s been a few accidents in the tunnel. Hopefully it will calm down once the novelty has worn off.

(oooops, ignore me, I’m thinking about the wrong trail! Never mind…)

It was indeed very busy on the Monsal trail today. I did it one evening a couple of weeks ago and it was practically deserted then.

Cheers

Matt

mtb_matt – where are yiou from?

cruzheckler,

I’m from South Manchester.

Were you one of the guys from Team Grimace I spoke to near Monsal head?

Cheers

Matt

no – just live off the trail thats all, thought you may be a local 🙁

Dave65, there’s no written rule that I know of but as a car driver I just find it easier that way!

is it the norm to keep to the left ? i’m new to cycling

it helps
the flat loop round ladybower is a regular for me and i can only assume that the riders that insist on not keeping left probably drove there in similar style

I live pretty much next to it and it’s very useful for getting to different routes very quickly. Very annoying when busy 🙁

I live pretty much next to it and it’s very useful for getting to different routes very quickly. Very annoying when busy

Agree with this totally, I’m about 30 seconds off the trail, very handy start to a route avoiding roads but all the comments about people riding in their own bubble are true. I think it will get quieter once people have done it a few times so I’m still really happy it’s been done. I’m planning a night ride at some point going through the tunnels, see if I can give myself the heebygeebies

Matt

[Dave65, there’s no written rule that I know of but as a car driver I just find it easier that way!]

I drive a 4 x 4 so that dosnt apply to me ! 😀

I just thought i was being polite giving way , just thought they were a bit ignorant not letting on.

It was lovely to see so many happy people out enjoying themselves, on a variety of bikes, trikes, recumbents, tandems, brat-draggers and trailers 😀

If you expect them to obey the Highway Code, perhaps you’d be better riding on the nearby roads instead?

Please let’s keep trails, bridleways and footpaths free of “rules”, except for being polite and considerate to other users 😉

(After lunch, we enjoyed some lovely deserted singletrack nearby)

matt@18bikes – mind if i join you?

Cruzheckler- no problem, I’m heading out this thurs eve if you fancy it, drop me an email

RE rules of the trail, I don’t think formal rules are right either, but being polite does include moving out of the way if someone faster wants to go past or giving someone who is riding towards you an option of being able to ride past. I have (unforunately) been surprised by the lack of simple manners and common sense by users of the trail. I hope it’s due to lack of experience and it will improve with time

Matt

May well do that Matt, do you have a route in mind

Been through that newly-opened section 4 times now, and is always as described, it’s also pretty dark in there so there is bound to be an accident between a wobbly child and an inconsiderate steam roller on a ‘training loop’ soon.
We did 40 miles mtb’ing on Saturday and the only time we saw a cyclist off-road was in that tunnel, and there were hundreds! It must be magnetic or something….

No route planned yet, got anything you particularly want to do?

not overly familiar with this neck of the woods to be honest, usually do up priestcliffe and down brushfield